The Unjust Judge

July 28

The Unjust Judge

Luk_18:1-8

The widow, in this time, was the symbol of one who was poor, oppressed and without help.  If you've ever had to fight a massive bureaucracy with no assistance—and watch others go in with their expensive lawyers and lobbyists—you have an idea of how this woman was treated.

The judge is a contrast to God.  He doesn't care for her;  no cry of justice opens his ears—but even he gets tired of hearing her.  So he will grant justice in return for her persistence.

The picture would be familiar to Christ's listeners.  They were a conquered people under Roman rule, and such a judge was all too common.  But Christ pauses, and takes their breath away:  if the evil judge will do that, what about God?

·        The judge is evil, but God is pure righteousness.  Will he not be all the more eager to see justice done?

·        The petitioner to the judge is a widow—the judge doesn't care a bit for her.  But God is beseeched by his saints, his children whom he loves so dearly.  Will he not be ready to give them justice?

·        The widow is but one, with her own petition.  The church is many (yet one) and the petition is in chorus.  Can he not hear?

How, then, is it that God has not yet adopted the simple expedient of slaying the wicked without notice?  Surely that would be more efficient?

When  God is slow to give us our heart's desires, the desire grows stronger.  So it is he hones in us a desire for justice and righteousness—not only as applied to us, but as we apply it to others.  Is He slow to avenge?  Consider:

·        He has granted all a season of repentance.  Many of us were as wicked as the judge.  Suppose he had not waited!

·        But when the measure of iniquity is full, God will act.  He has delayed his justice so that the wicked might have time to repent.  Hell will not be allowed to annul heaven by indefinite delay.

But like little children, we are impatient.  Why will he not strike down those who are evil?  Do we consider that we, too, were evil until he brought us into the church?  The day shall come, do not fear.  Only keep the faith until then;  so that when our Lord returns he will not need to search to find the faithful.